In a bid to modernize and accelerate slow permitting processes, major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Austin, and Honolulu have begun implementing AI-powered solutions to reduce wait times and improve compliance in building and environmental approvals.

As housing demand surges and communities recover from disasters, city leaders are embracing artificial intelligence as a planning tool to support both speed and accuracy in permitting.

AI Adoption Across U.S. Cities

In Austin, Texas, the city formally adopted AI permitting software from Australia-based Archistar in October 2024 after a successful three-month pilot focused on residential permitting. The city expects to expand the use of the technology into commercial and broader planning workflows.

“There haven’t been critical errors or unexpected behaviors from Archistar,” said Stephanie Sanchez, senior public information specialist for the City of Austin. “At this time, it has only been tested within the residential building plan review permitting process.”

Sanchez also highlighted how the technology is enhancing the customer experience. “We see AI as a powerful support tool that can improve both speed and customer service in our permitting process,” she said in an email to Construction Dive.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles launched Archistar’s system on April 30, following wildfires that devastated parts of the region. The rollout aligns with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s broader effort to accelerate rebuilding by easing red tape for affected communities.

“The current pace of issuing permits locally is not meeting the magnitude of the challenge we face,” Newsom said in a news release, referencing an executive order he signed on January 12 to speed up the permitting process for fire-damaged properties.

According to Newsom’s office, Archistar’s platform uses computer vision, machine learning, and automated rulesets to scan submitted designs against local zoning and building codes. This allows property owners and builders to pre-check plans for compliance, reducing errors and delays during formal review.

Honolulu Joins the Movement

Honolulu is the latest city to signal a digital transformation of its aging permitting infrastructure. At a June 4 event, Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced plans to adopt AI-based tools starting later this year, citing the need to replace the city’s outdated 1990s-era software and cut the median wait time of 393 days for commercial permits.

According to reporting from the Honolulu Civil Beat, the city will use software from Vancouver-based Clariti to guide property owners through the permitting process. In addition, Chicago-based CivCheck will deploy AI tools to scan building plans and ensure code compliance in real time.

A National Shift Toward AI in Permitting

The movement toward AI adoption isn’t limited to the local level. At the federal level, the Trump administration has voiced support for using technologies like AI to reform and streamline environmental and federal permitting, in part to support economic growth and disaster recovery efforts.

City officials across jurisdictions hope AI tools will help ease the burden on understaffed planning departments, improve transparency, and reduce costly delays that often stall development projects for months or even years.

By digitizing and automating key parts of the permitting workflow, cities aim to strike a balance between speed, accuracy, and regulatory compliance—an urgent priority as they tackle housing shortages, infrastructure rebuilding, and climate resilience.

Originally reported by Matthew Thibault in Construction Dive.